The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-10-14

used 20 this labor from boyhood- Tho
changeabls climate and danger q fever
and running short % food they are also
accustomed to
The party about until = sufici.
emit number u trees = found In tho
vicinity to make Il practicable to settle
down and establish = camp in > suita-
bic place. A small house u built for
sleeping purposes. and Tor covering
the bark that II may o be exposed 90
an occasional shower % rain. Tho
party ac now en- or twelve days
journey from the starting point. and
they claim the forests for many miles
around. no other bark gathercrs being
allowed in the ncighborhood for tho
season.
When the rude shed or house Is com
pletcd. the majordomo divides the cas-
carillcros. and sends out little parties
In different directions with sufficient
food for = long absence. From each
eminence the surrounding forests :
scanned for a sight Of the cinchona-
| Experience and observation have made
il possible for the men 70 distinguish tho
tree II 4 great distance not only from
its greater height than surrounding
forest trees. but from the light-grcen.
smooth leaves. with here and there a
yellow leaf. Speaking Of the bark
~gathercrs in Peru. a traveller says that
standing on one side Of = ravine. tho
men count the cost Of the opposite
side. or they climb to the tops of the
l~oftiest trees and survey the country
around for cinchona-"
The men are judges Of the proper
age AT which a tree may be deprived Of
its bark. and know the best trees for
this purpose Having selected a tree
il is sometimes cut rs near the ground
as possible and the bark taken of; at
other times the tree Is made barkless
while standing. Cutting Is usually
considered the better way. that the
stump may put forth more leaves and
again grow up. while . barkless tree
is sure to die.
After telling. incisions are made
through the trunk-bark. up fifteen or
twenty inches in length. by three or
four inches bDad. and the pieces are
removed by a knife or other instru-
ment- Sometimes the bark Is not sep
arated for three or four days after the
cutting. When taken from the tree
the pieces are placed in some spot ex-
posed to the rays Of the sun. and n
laid in piles. one over another. to dry.
while a weight Of some kind holds the
pile in place. the bark naturally inclin-
ing to roll while drying. The bark
from the smaller branches il allowed
to curl or become quilted ~ it dries.
When dry the cascarriiIero loads the
bark upon. his own back. and picks his
way along. now on dizzy heights, then
through pathless woods OF up and
down the steep mountain sides, until
the distant camping-grounds are
reached A woodman may be able to
cut two ruintals. two hundred pounds
Of bark per day. which viii make
about one quintal after drying. and
being made ready for the market.
The best bark is taken from the trunk,
the second quality comes from the larger
branches. and the least valuable Is
peeled from the smaller branches. but
different kinds Of bark usually get
somewhat mixed in the packages
Before the rainy season commences,
| about the last Of September or in Octo
Der. the camp Is broken up. and th'
whole party start for the ten-day''
Journey home The mules carry th'
; bark. three quintals being a lawful
mule load in the Andes. although II
descending the steep eastern slope
mules can lawfully carry but one hun
E dred and fifty pounds each.-N y An
{ dep5sdcnk.